Spring control



K. O. SCHAUMAN ET AL SPRING CONTROL Filed June 23, 192,7

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nir-airain STA 'rss *KARIVQ "SCHAUMAN, STERLING R. YANCEY, AND JOSE L. IlVLFSUD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSGNORS TO SURE-GUARD COREORATION, OF `NEW YORK, N. Y., A ACOR- PORATION yOLE NEVI YORK.

SPRING CONTROL.

Applicationiled .Tune 23, 1927. Serial No. 200,802.y

Our invention relates to improvements in spring controls, so-called, in which a spring is arranged sothat Linder certain conditions it will operate on a connected part to perform certain Work. Controls of this type are used lin automatic vehicle stops acting When released to operate brakes, out out ignition or .operate audible or visible signals. Our Vinvention is intended `to produce ,a simple, reliable spring control of this character 'which is particularly Well adapted for use in connection With automatic vehicle stops and which is also adapted for other uses.

In carrying out our invention, We have the main or loperating spring arranged 'in a casing which really acts as a link as Well as a support for the spring, and its connected parts, and when the spring is vtaut or under tension,it is heldin this position by a toggle joint aligning When extended With the axis ot the spring and its connected parts, and when the joint is broken, that is iieXed, it permits the spring to react and perform its Work.

Our invention is also intended to provide a simple magnet, operated means for breaking or flexing the toggle joint, and 'fun ther to provide means in connection With the operation of the apparatus for ycontrolling an electric circuit which may operate on the ignition of the car, the visible or audible signals or do other Work. In general our improvement is intended to provide a simpler and better means for accomplishing the foregoing results than has heretofore Vbeen used for the purpose.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters represent 4the corresponding parts in all views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the gun embodying our invention.

Figure 2 Ais a longitudinalsection on :line 2-3 of Figure 1 With the main spring compressed.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 2-3 of Figure 1 showing ,the main spring extended, and

Figure 4 is a bottom .plan of the device.

The device or apparatus isprovided with a frame or casing which is preferably rectangular and open at top and bottom. At one end it is shown connected With a rod levers presently 'referred to.

v11 and at the'other it connects with a rod '11 which :slides throught'he end ofthe oasmg. Thus the casing acts like a link connecting `the parts '1l-'11 of a rod kvvhich.

maybe a brake rod so that When the kspring is released to extend'itselil it willact '-to'virtual'ly 'shorten 4the brake ,rod and 'zpu'll von the end 11. Obviojuslythe rod pulling "on the shortening part of the `mechanism of lthe casing frame or link :10 can the :made ,to-'do other Work. The inner end of the rod 11 connects With an abutment .12 Which 'slides in the'casing 10 and Which'can be conveniently of U-shape having side ears 13 Which'facilitate its connection 'to the Atoggle arms or l Bet-Ween fthe abutment 12 and one end of the casing 10a-nd coiled around the rod 11 Iis a main spring 14 Which normally presses the abutment towards the rod 11. The abutment '12 oonynectsjvith a toggle joint which is arranged to ,align with the rod parts 11-411. This '11i-1,1 thereby holdingthe spring against expansion, y"but when the joint is broken or liexed, as in Figure 3, the spring can expand and thus .pull on the rod 11 or in other Words shorten the composite 'rod 114-11. The toggle ljoint is flexed by means of a lin`k2'1vvhich is pivoted to the member 17 Vof 'the joint 'to provide for the expansion of the spring. The casing is slotted as ast-20 to permit the .pin 19 to slide lengthwise of the casing. One end of the link 2.1 connects with a slide block Vpreferably comprising spaced members 22the connection being'by'means of a pin '23 which vhas a slightly sliding movement in the slot 24 of the slide block and Which also can slide in the slotjQ of the casing. The slide block ,22 is held li-n the position shown in 'FigureQ by a light spring 26, and is moved against the ytension ot' the spring bythe core 26 of a 3solenoid magnet 27. lIt will be seen that When the Amagnet is energized it vvill pull on the core Q6 and on the outer end' or" the link 21 thereby mov- .insulated thereon.

ing 'the link toV the position shown in Figure 3 and breaking or flexing the toggle joint so that the spring 14 can instantly expand. In automatic car stops,the circuit through the magnet 27 is usually closed by the action of a bumper or the like, but so far as our present invention is concerned, it may be closed in any Way. As a convenient means of connecting the magnet, we have shown it provided with contacts 28 and 29 connected to a block 31, and with wires 30 connecting the contacts through the block to a conventional connector 32. The block 31 can be an ordinary plug. Ve have shown a third pair of contacts 33 which connect with the connector 32 as usual and one of which connects by a wire 34 with a contact 35 on the opposite end of the magnet being suitably This contact 35, when the spring 14 is compressed, connects with an insulated pin 37 carried by the part 13, and which may be included in an ignition or other circuit. The part 35 may obviously be arranged in other ways to make and break a circuit. When the spring 14 is compressed, as it is normally, the ignition or .other circuit is closed, but when the spring is released and expands, the pin 37.is moved away from the contact 35 as in Fig. 3 and the circuit is broken.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the device which we have shown is very strong, practical and simple. The rod 11 is pulled out mechanically, usuallyby some form ot lever to compress t-he spring' l14 and this straightens out the toggle joint, that is the levers 15 and 16 and when these are straight, the spring will be positively held against compression. lhen, however, the magnet 27 is energized, the joint is broken or flexed in the manner already described, and the spring immediately reacts to pull on the rod and thus actuate any part connected with it, and also break the circuit which includes the contact 35 and pin 37. Obviously other means than that. shown can be used for closing the circuit through the magnet, land our invention is not limited to any particular circuit closing means, neither is it limited to the precise means for breaking or flexing the toggle joint, although we vhave shown a way which we believe to be good and which we believe also to be novel.

We claim: j

1. A spring control` comprising a casing connected at one end to a rod and at the opposite end to a second rod which .slides in the casing, a spring acting to move the slide rod, a toggle joint coupled to the slide rod and act-ing when straightened to hold the spring compressed, and means for flexing the toggle joint.

2. A structure of the kind described, comconnected to a support, a slide. rod enter` ing the easing, a spring acting to pull the slide rod inward, atoggle joint connecting the casing with the slide rod, and means for flexing the toggle joint.

4. A spring control, comprising a casing connected to a support, a slide rod .entering the casing, an abutment on the slide rod, a spring coiled around the rod between the abutment and the part of the casing, a toggle joint connecting the abutment with the casing, and means for flexing the toggle joint.

5. A spring control, comprising a support, a slide rod movable on the support, a spring for actuating the slide rod, a toggle joint connecting the slide rod with the support, and means for flexing the toggle joint.

6. A spring control, comprising aI support, a slide rod mounted on a support, a spring for actuating the slide rod, a toggle joint connecting the slide rod with the support and acting to hold the spring compressed, means for flexing the toggle joint, an electric circuit, and means operated by the movement of the slide rod for controlling said circuit.

T. A spring control, comprising a support, a slide rod movable on the support, a' spring for actuatingV the slide rod, a toggle joint connecting the slide rod to the support, a link connected with the 4middle portion of the toggle joint, and an electromagnet for moving the link and flexing the toggle joint.

8. A spring control, comprising a support rigidly connected to one rod and slidably connected to a second rod aligning with the first rod, a toggle joint connecting the second rod with the support, a sprineV ating the second rod, and means lor flexing the toggle joint.

9. A spring control,l comprising a support rigidly connected to a rod and slidably connected to a second rod, a main spring coiled around the second rod and acting to move it .in one direction, a toggle joint connecting the second rod with the support, a link connected to the toggle joint, and an electromagnet for pulling on the link'and flexing the toggle joint.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification this 21st day of June, 1927.

KARL O. SCHAUMAN. STIRLING R. YANCEY. JOSE L. MIFSUD.

for actu-V lli) 

